FAQ

AliveShoes gives talented and creative people all over the world the professional resources to design their own custom shoes and launch a shoe line from scratch. We take care of all production and logistics from Le Marche, Italy, the most exclusive shoemaking district in the world.

Who is AliveShoes for?

AliveShoes is ideal for...

Young designers, stylists, artists, musicians, students and shoe lovers starting from scratch and wanting to challenge themselves and experiment with designing and selling their custom made shoes in the real world.

Professional designers, entrepreneurs and marketing people wanting to grow their designer footwear brand.

Companies with established brands who are looking to extend their product offerings by launching a custom shoes line.

How does AliveShoes work?

To join AliveShoes, start by submitting your application. Once you are accepted, you can design and sell your own custom shoes. Use our online tools to design and customize your own amazing custom shoes down to the final, intricate details. Choose from more than 70 bases, including women's fashion, men's classic, and unisex sneakers and sport styles. Work with different material types and select from a palette of more than 30 colors. Add your own logos and customize your product packaging to match your brand.

Once you have your customized shoes, launch your campaign to reach your first 7 pre-orders sales. Completion of this goal launches production of your custom shoes and allows you to continue selling through your custom e-shop. Your shoes are manufactured and shipped directly to your customers in 15 to 20 business days. You never have to think about production, shipping or customer service; AliveShoes has got you, your shoes, and your shoppers covered. For each pair of custom shoes sold, you earn $30 profit, which can be easily transferred to your PayPal account.

Once you are accepted through our application process, AliveShoes is for free. The only cost to you is if you choose to upgrade to the platform’s PRO version. For a $99 lifetime fee, you’ll expand your designer toolbox with access to additional features, including styles, materials and customization options. Learn more about the PRO features and add-ons.

How can I contact AliveShoes?

Use our Contact Us section to receive a response within 72 hours or less. If the live chat sign is on, you can also communicate with us in real time.

Where is AliveShoes based?

AliveShoes main design and production headquarters is located in Le Marche, Italy. We also have three additional offices in Milan, Italy, Amsterdam and San Francisco, California (USA). Visit our about us page to get more informations.

Can I apply for a job at AliveShoes?

Of course you can! We are always looking for great talent to join us. For more information about available opportunities, please visit our Careers section.

Once you gain access to the platform, you can use the available online tools to design your shoes. Start by naming your custom shoes project, choosing a base shoe silhouette, and then selecting colors and materials. Personalize the design for your custom shoes by adding a logo. Don’t have one? Either remove the logo option from your design or use our handy Logo Wizard to make your own. You can also customize your packaging using our Packaging Wizard. When your unique and custom shoes are ready, you can submit your design for 24-hour approval by our footwear team.

If your custom design is not approved, our footwear team normally offers feedback and advice on how to make improvements. You can then rework your custom design and resubmit it for new approval, if you so choose.

What is the PRO upgrade?

You can upgrade your account to PRO for $99 (one-time, lifetime fee) and access amazing features to boost your line even further: Limited edition Materials: Access 33 limited edition materials and patterns such as camouflage, jaguar print, zebra print, metal gold, snake print, stars print, glitter, crocodile print, premium textiles and many others. Cruelty free vegan materials: Create completely eco-friendly and vegan designs with access to a wide selection of cruelty-free textiles and a selection of eco “leathers” in multiple colors. Limited edition Soles: Access 12 unique and highly exclusive sneaker soles such as fluorescent, camouflage, gold, silver, marble, glossy, recycled style and more. Limited edition designs: Access 20 additional premium shoe silhouettes with special constructions and limited-edition options. Women’s Fashion Collection: Access a wide Women collection with 27+ additional Women’s fashion shoe bases, including elegant pointy high heels, pump, wedges, flats, boots and more. Men’s Classic Collection: Access the full spectrum of design possibilities for Men with 17+ additional Men’s classic shoe bases, including moccasines, dress shoes, sneaker designs and more. Capsule Collections Access: Access the Capsule collections section, featuring unique and special design themes never seen before. Capsules are added regularly to match top market trends and the latest styles. White label upgrade: Make the shoes entirely yours, removing all AliveShoes logos and images from the insole, the packaging and invoices. Priority production upgrade: Jump to the front of the production lines. Get your custom shoes made even faster, shipping directly to customers in 6 to 12 business days—half the time of the regular 15- to 20-day production. Launch Multiple Shoes: Submit and publish up to 10 shoe designs at the same time, instead of just one. Brand page: Showcase your brand fully in a beautiful custom branded page featuring your own content and your shoes - all in one place. Create Unlimited Drafts: Create unlimited drafts of your designs (instead of the normal 10) and keep them saved on Your Dashboard. Upgrade your account to PRO here.

What is the Design Protection upgrade?

Once you have submitted and published a design, you can protect it. That means your shoe will officially become a Limited Edition (and have a unique limited edition code) and will be protected so that no one can duplicate that specific shoe design combination and name. The design will also be flagged as limited edition in your shop, so that your customers will be able to see this unique feature, see an example here. The Design Protection upgrade is available for $39 (one-time, life time fee) from Your Dashboard or from your custom e-shop option panel.

Once your custom shoes are approved, you can launch them online and start selling using your own custom e-shop. Before your shoes will go into production, you must first meet the minimum 7 pre-order sales goals. After this goal is satisfied, you can continue to sell the shoes one- by-one without any further limitations. AliveShoes will take care of the production, shipment and customer service for your designer shoes, freeing you up to edit your shop, download marketing materials and follow relevant statistics in the options tab of your custom e-shop. Once your first 7 custom made shoes are sold, you can also redeem your AliveShoes Official Designer Certificate to use as a valuable distinction on your CV or résumé. To know how more about the process visit the our how it works page.

How many shoes can I launch at the same time?

You can submit and launch one shoe as standard. You can extend to 10 as part of the pro upgrade and can also extend to 30 more with a launch extension upgrade.

Can showcase all my shoes in one page?

Yes you can showcase all your shoes in one place setting up your brand page - the brand page is part of the pro upgrade package.

How much profit do I make?

For each pair of shoes sold you will receive $30 profits.

How do I receive my profit?

You can receive your profits through PayPal or transform the money into discount coupons. Learn more about profits on Your Dashboard.

What if I don't reach the 7 pre-orders goal?

If you don't reach the 7 pre-order sales goal, the people who purchased your shoes will be immediately refunded. The good news is you can always re-launch your campaign and try to reach the goal again.

How can I check informations about the shoes I have on sale?

Easily access information about the custom shoes you are selling and your profits through Your Dashboard.

How do I keep track of my sales and stats?

Check your progress through Your Dashboard to stay current on custom shoes sales and statistics.

Do I get profit on the shoes I buy?

Yes, on shoes bought by you, you also receive the $30 profits.

Do I get discounted rates if I buy in bulk?

Yes you can buy your design in bulk and get discounted rates up to 15% off. Check the bulk promos directly at checkout clicking on the button “see bulk promos” just under the quantity tab. Note that this is will be only visible to you as the designer and not to your customers.

Do I get any coupons as a designer or other to use with my customers?

Yes you can find designer discount coupons and other coupons to offer to your clients in the option menu of your online shoe page on the lower-left side, under the tab “coupons”.

What's the pricing of the shoes?

Your custom shoes are priced between $129 and $289.

How long does it take the shoes to produce?

It takes 15 to 20 business days to produce and ship your designer shoes to customers. If you are a PRO member, you receive priority production, where your custom shoes are produced and shipped in 6 to 12 business days.

Where and how are the shoes made?

Our designer shoes are crafted in Le Marche, Italy, also known as “The Shoe Valley” and home to rich shoemaking tradition since 1901. All shoes are of the best quality and handcrafted by a network of selected Italian artisans. Learn more about our Italian Crafting.

What kind of material are used on the shoes?

All shoes are created using pristine Italian leather or suede, and in some cases organic canvas is available, too. We also provide special materials, prints, limited edition textiles, cruelty free vegan leathers to PRO account users. Learn more about the materials used in our Italian Crafting.

What size range do you provide?

We provide US (6-13), UK (3.5-12.5) and EU (36-46) standard sizes. Extended sizes are available on most of the sneaker bases: US (13.5-17.5), UK (13-17) and EU (47-51). To find the perfect fit, please use our conversion tool, which provides a guaranteed 98 percent sizing match.

What is Aliveshoes method of payment?

Purchases can be made using PayPal, or with the following credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.

How does shipping work?

Custom shoes are shipped internationally via UPS, DHL and FedEx. You can track your shipment through Your Dashboard. Deliveries take between three to eight business days, depending on your city and country. Shipments to the EU, UK and USA are free of charge. (Note: Custom taxes may apply for all non-EU shipments. Depending on the country, these normally range between 3 to 10 percent of the total purchase value and are due upon receipt of the product).

What if I or one of my customers doesn’t like the shoes or the size is not correct?

We have a 100% satisfaction guarantee and free-returns policy.That means you or your customer will receive a full refund if not completely satisfied with the order. Shoes must be sent back to us within 30 days after receiving the package in pristine, unworn condition to qualify for a refund. Contact us to request a refund and confirm the shipping address. A delivery company will then collect your package with no hassle or cost to you or your customer.

Is AliveShoes helping me to grow my brand further?

Yes, AliveShoes can help designers grow and extend their brands. Your first goal is to reach 7 pre-order sales to begin production of your custom shoes, ship the products to your customers and redeem your AliveShoes Official Designer Certificate to use as a valuable distinction on your CV or résumé.

As your brand grows and you reach bigger set sales goal, you will gain access to free AliveShoes premium services, including PR boost at 10 sales and the Brand boost at 50 sales, to further boost your shoe line. Learn more information about How It Works.

Designing and distributing your custom shoes is a remarkable achievement, and one that deserves recognition in the footwear industry. That is why, when you sell 7 pre-orders of your designers shoes, you’ll be awarded the AliveShoes Official Designer Certificate to use as a valuable distinction on your CV or résumé. Located in Le Marche, Italy, also known as “The Shoe Valley”, AliveShoes is among the most elite footwear network on the planet. No school or other curriculum activity can match or surpass our one-of-kind experience and offerings.

PR boost is a professional service aimed to increase the visibility of your custom shoes. Once you reach 10 sales with a custom shoes design, you'll be able to submit more information about yourself and your shoes, including additional pictures of your designer shoes, all directly on Your Dashboard. Your designer shoes project will be shared with our network of top public relations contacts, helping you to gain more visibility for yourself and your brand. This type of exposure often leads to you, your custom shoes, and your story being featured in magazines and international press, building relationships with bloggers and influencers, and seeing your product worn on the feet of celebrities! Get more information on the PR boost here.

What is the BRAND boost service?

Brand boost is a professional service aimed to further develop your brand, your products and your marketing. Reach 50 total sales with your custom shoes for access to one of the planet’s best shoe teams for refining branding, design and marketing. Our elite shoe development network in Italy will guide you in creating a capsule collection, an e-commerce presence and a styled product portfolio. You will then showcase your designer shoes to prestigious retailers and international partners. Get more information on the Brand boost here.

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Showcase your brand fully in a beautiful custom branded page featuring your own content and your shoes - all in one place.
See an example
here.
Upgrade to PRO
to benefit from the brand page (together with all the many other Pro benefits).

SHOWCASE YOUR DESIGNS IN ONE PLACEShowcase your design all in one place - give access to your follower to your featured designs and permanent collection in one single link.

AliveShoes gives talented and creative people all over the world the professional resources to design their own custom shoes and launch a shoe line from scratch. We take care of all production and logistics from Le Marche, Italy, the most exclusive and prestigious shoemaking district in the world.

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AliveShoes gives talented and creative people all over the world the professional resources to design their own custom shoes and launch a shoe line from scratch. We take care of all production and logistics from Le Marche, Italy, the most exclusive and prestigious shoemaking district in the world.

Men’s Classic CollectionAccess the full spectrum of design possibilities for Men with 17+ additional Men’s classic shoe bases, including moccasines, dress shoes, sneaker designs and more.

Capsule Collections AccessAccess the Capsule collections section, featuring unique and special design themes never seen before. Capsules are added regularly to match top market trends and the latest styles.

White Label UpgradeMake the shoes entirely yours by removing all AliveShoes logos and images from the insole, the packaging and invoices.

Priority Production UpgradeJump to the front of the production lines. Get your shoes made faster, shipping to customers in 6 to 12 business days — half the time of the regular 15 to 20 days.

Brand pageShowcase your brand fully in a beautiful custom branded page featuring your own content and your shoes - all in one place.

Launch Multiple ShoesSubmit and publish up to 10 shoe designs at the same time, instead of just one.

Create Unlimited DraftsCreate unlimited drafts of your designs (instead of the normal 10) and keep them saved in your dashboard.